The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013
VOLUME 141 NO. 14
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1940, The Miami Student reported that over 300 attended a second-generation student and alumni reunion held in October. The article began, “Ghosts
of bygone days haunted Benton hall Thursday as students whose parents, grandparents and even great grandparents attended the university made the rafters ring with modern chatter about ancient days.”
Mental disorders affect one in four students BY GRETA MORRIS
FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Twenty-seven percent of the Miami University student body has been diagnosed with a mental disorder, according to a June 2012 report published by Miami University Student Counseling Services. According to the report, “Mental Health Status of Miami Students,” these disorders range from disordered eating to suicidality. Though one in three students might seem an exceptionally high ratio, the report said it is close to the national average of 26 percent. Counseling Services have recently experienced an increase in the number of students seeking their help, with the most common disorders including anxiety disorder, depression, eating disorders and attention deficit disorder (ADD). “These findings … show that 20 percent of Miami students score positive on a depression screen while 14 percent score positive on an anxiety screen,” the report reads. “Eight percent of students seriously considered suicide and 2 percent made a plan for committing suicide in the past.” Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders on Miami’s campus, its students typically have a more negative perception of mental disorders than students at other universities, according to an assessment brief published in October, 2012, titled “Mental Health Service Trends and Stigma Among Miami Students.” “Miami students report more frequently that they think oth-
ers view mental health treatment in a negative light, as a sign of weakness, and Miami students report that they view mental health treatment as personal failure as well,” director of Student Counseling Services, Dr. Kip Alishio said. “We had been working hard to break this stigma down. There should be no stigma. It’s no more sign of weakness than getting a cold is.” So far, in 2013, 9.3 percent of the student body has used the mental health services provided by Miami, according to Alishio. This is an increase of roughly 100 students since 2011, according to an assessment brief of the Student Counseling Services published by Miami in October of 2012. This increase in student use of the facility in recent years led to the administration expanding the staff of the Student Counseling Center. “The administration approved the increase in staff by two counselors this year,” Alishio said. “As a result, no students have had to be put on a waiting list yet, whereas at this time, there is normally a long list.” The launch of a Miami app aimed to prevent suicide also has promising feedback. Since its launch earlier this year, the app has been downloaded over 1000 times, according to Alishio. “While we can’t look at exactly what they are doing with the app, we found it encouraging that they see the need for it.” Alishio said. According to the report, the high rate of mental disorders may stem from the high expectations students have for themselves. Current college students had the
highest scores ever recorded for their drive for achievement while also having the lowest scores of any cohort in their ability to handle frustration, according to the Miami assessment brief. Alishio said he encourages those who exhibit signs of a mental disorder seek help. Common signs of depression include a low, sad mood, crying for no apparent reason, over sleeping or struggling to stay asleep, lack of motivation, negative sense of one’s self and a drastic change in appetite. Rapid heartbeat and thoughts, jitteriness and difficulty concentrating are marks of anxiety, another common disorder according to Alishio. If someone is dealing with a mental disorder, Alishio said he urges him or her to share their feelings and not isolate themselves. “Talk about it,” Alishio said. “Talk with friends; it is a tendency to isolate oneself when feeling depressed. Make a special effort to interact with other people and talk about it. If needed, also seek professional help.” Counseling Services are available to all students upon making an appointment. This first five individual sessions are free, and after, the cost is $25 per session. However, Alishio stresses that no student will be denied service because of an inability to pay. Online screenings are also available on the Student Counseling Services’ website. These screenings are free, anonymous, and are available for disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and substance abuse.
Lifting the lid: Trashcan alcohol content reveals shared student misconception BY CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR
The “Trashcan” is a popular alcoholic drink that can be purchased at a number of bars Uptown. Though most students have heard of the drink, few have an accurate idea of its alcohol content, according to a Miami Student investigation. Sophomore Brandon Champion said he goes Uptown roughly once a week and has heard the Trashcan packs a six-standard-drink punch. Others are doubtful. “I’ve heard everyone say six [shots in a Trashcan],” Junior Patrick Greitzer said. “I think it’s more like four.” Carlee Gambler, general manager of Brick Street Bar and Grill, said Brick Street’s bar is best known for its Trashcans. While holding two liquor bottles in each hand, upturned over the plastic cup, Gambler said a Trashcan contains vodka, gin, rum and triple sec. She then drizzled in blue curacao, added Sprite and topped it off with a can of Red Bull. “It’s four ounces of liquor,” Gambler said. Considering the alcohol content of a standard drink is equivalent to about 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, a Trashcan contains slightly less than three standard drinks. Dr. Rose Marie Ward, associate professor in Miami University’s College of Education, Health, and Society, conducts research on the college
drinking culture. She said she collects much of her data on High Street. “I breathalyse students Uptown,” she said. “We ask them to estimate their [Blood Alcohol Level]. We also ask them how many drinks they had … and they say ‘yeah I had a Trashcan. Well, I say, ‘Yeah, what was in it? Who poured it?’” Ward said students often are unaware of what they are drinking. “There was a very low relationship between what they thought their BAL was and what it actually was,” Ward said, indicating students tend to think they are more inebriated than they actually are. Dr. Messman-Moore, director of clinical training in Miami’s psychology department, often collaborates with Ward in her research. Messman-Moore said people’s disposition can often be somewhat determined by their perception of what they are drinking and the act itself rather than what they are actually consuming. “We hold these beliefs that alcohol will affect people in a certain way, and that when we drink, it will affect us in that way,” Messman-Moore said. An anonymous, underage sophomore said she drinks Trashcans when she wants to have a fun night. “They don’t taste bad and you can get drunk off them quickly,” she said. “But I’m sure there’s a placebo effect involved. There have been times that I’ve gone to the bar and had nothing to drink, but still feel a high from the
loud music and crowd.” Messman-Moore said expectancies are what allow students to feel more intoxicated than they are, be that from a misconception of the alcohol content of their drink, or any other factor. “I’ve seen Trashcans take people from being kind of tipsy and buzzed to f***ed up,” Greitzer said. “It’s the act of seeing them take four bottles at once and [pour them into the cup]. That’s what tricks you.” Sophomore Lisa Tageriello agreed. “There’s a psychological factor,” she said. “Like, ‘Oh my God; it’s a Trashcan. I’m going to get so drunk.’” Ward said that whether students are over or underestimating how much alcohol they are cosuming, what’s disturbing is the fact many of them have no idea. “[Students] really didn’t know what it meant,” Ward said, referring to her experience measuring students’ BAL Uptown. “They have a hard time understanding how much alcohol has what kind of effect on their bodies.” Ward and Messman-Moore said it is impossible to generalize since not all students drink, however, those who do, drink regularly. “What’s scary is that we’re not seeing that much of a change in who’s drinking—the prevalence of drinking—but in how much they’re drinking,” Ward said. “What’s striking is that the people who drink, drink a lot.”
Girl power: a week of women empowerment
DAMIEN WATSONTHE MIAMI STUDENT
Women’s Empowerment Week began last Monday with a variety of activities to strengthen women’s role on campus.
BY VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR
In a time where women are considered equal to men, senior vice president of Panhellenic Public Relations Katharine Davies said she still believes Miami University could foster a stronger female presence at the university. Her goal to empower Miami’s female population led her to partner with the Women’s Center and Women in Business to establish the first annual Women’s Empowerment Week—a five-day series of activities geared at boosting the female role on campus. This event began Oct. 14 and continued throughout the rest of this week. “About a year ago, we wanted to create a program that was bigger than us,” Davies said. “This program—Woman’s Empowerment Week—is meant to strengthen the woman’s role on campus. It includes different elements of the issues women face on campus.” According to Davies, these issues include negative self-image, physical and sexual violence, security, male-dominated workplace and overall health. She said she realized that these concerns were prevalent enough on campus that not one single student could combat them, but she could utilize her high position in Panhellenic to help. “There are a lot of issues that
women are facing on campus and no one was in a position to do anything about it besides us [at Panhellenic],” she said. “I think that the Miami environment is not that favorable to women; it is not that safe and it is not that empowering. In our position, we have the resources and the manpower to be able to change this. So we saw it as our responsibility to make this campus better and make the lives of women better.” She said she and several other women’s organizations on campus, such as the Women’s Center and Women in Business, organized five major events in which all university members could participate. The events were free, and consisted of Zumba on Central Quad, a selfdefense class, a lesson on salary-negotiating, a manicure-pedicure session for women in the hospital and “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”, where men make a lap around Cook Field wearing high heels. So far, Davies noted that about 200 people have participated. She added that she expects Women’s Empowerment Week will have a profound, positive effect on Miami’s female population. “I hope women come out of this week feeling like they are not alone, that this is a community that supports them,” she said. “And I hope that they feel confident and empowered and beautiful, and that they never feel like the world is against them.”
How many standard drinks of alcohol do you think are in mixed drinks Uptown, such as a Trashcan?
1
2 % (6)
2
8 % (22)
3
8 % (50)
4
29 % (82)
5
20 % (56)
5+
24 % (68)
Total number of votes: 284